Much Ado About Nothing review – a riot of romcom energy

Globe theatre, London
With its gorgeous music, dance and costumes, this production is a sure summer blockbuster that avoids the problematic elements of Shakespeare’s play

This elegant, effervescent production of Shakespeare’s problem play has all the markings of a sure summer blockbuster. The testy flirtation and linguistic sparring between avowed singletons Beatrice (Pippa Nixon) and Benedick (Ken Nwosu) is full of romcom energy. The comical eavesdropping that leads to their gulling is such silly fun. The music and dance is simply gorgeous; so are the costumes with their warm palette of pinks, light greys and lemons. Even Dogberry (Richard Katz, wonderfully oddball-ish) and his team of security guards wring vigorous clowning out of protracted scenes that have, in other hands, sunk the pace of this play.

The production, under Chelsea Walker’s direction, is a riot of fine staging, big on comedy, beautiful in sound and optics, adept at shifting the atmosphere, often with the help of the excellent live band (drum-like disturbances and nervy violin).